"You must turn your cooking to art and each time your meal must be an artwork"

Friday, January 14, 2011

Norin (Small noodles with horse meat sausages)

"Norin" is a famous meal in Uzbekistan and is made mostly in Tashkent. Winter is the perfect time for making "Norin", as meat must be air dried beforehand in cool temperatures. Usually horse meat is used, but it can be substituted with beef or lamb. Air dried meat will give special taste to "Norin", so, don't skip this part.

A week or 5 days before you plan to cook "Norin", buy fresh meat and cut it in thin, flat pieces, just to make it easier to hang.Usually it is hanged over the rope, but I use my old oven rack for this purpose. Finely season meat with coarse salt and fresh ground pepper, rubbing them nicely all over each of meat piece.
Cover meat with clean cheese cloth.
Everyday turn meat on the other side, letting it dry evenly. Remember that temperature of the room must be cold enough. I usually open up my window slightly.
After 5-6 days meat will be ready, it will look like this:
Wash meat finely and put in a cold water enough to cover meat, about 2.5 liters. Bring water to boil, scoop out all the foam and let it simmer for about 2-2,5 hours. Take out all the meat. Usually meat is chopped or julienned thinly with a very sharp knife, but as a lazy lady who seeks easy ways, I prefer grinding it in food processor. I am thankful for my husband who gave me such a great idea!

Now prepare noodles. Slightly beat up eggs and mix well with water and salt. Gradually add in flour until you will form medium hard dough. (Not too soft and not too hard). Cover the dough and let it rest for 20 min. Divide the dough in two parts and roll out separately. Roll out the dough in 2.5- 3 mm thickness. (Meanwhile, put 3 liters of water to boil). Cut out approximately 7x7 inch squares. For making it easier, after you done with the rolling, fold the dough and horizontally cut out 7 inch pieces, then unfold this strips putting one piece on to another and again horizontally cut out 7 inch pieces.

Cook all of squares, putting 3-4 pieces in to the boiling water at a time. Cook for 3-4 min and then put them on to the clean, cotton tablecloth, just to get rid of that excess water.After some time,flip over, so that they can be dried properly.
When all these dough pieces dried well, gather them on a big flat plate, greasing each layer generously with oil.
Let it rest for 15 min, then start cutting. Take one square at a time and cut in 2 inch strips, put them one on top of another and cut as thinly as you can.

When you done cutting all the pieces, sprinkle some fresh ground coriander and mix well with chopped meat.
Serve "Qazi" with thinly sliced horse meat sausages and enjoy!
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

About Me

Have to admit that cooking is one of my favorite hobbies that I practice almost everyday. If the recipes I share will please you and bring joy to your life then mission is accomplished:)
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